Rate Hike’s Dirty Little Secrets
by John Sutton, Jan. 12, 2012.
The proposed electrical rate hike is bringing out a lot of Austin Energy’s (AE) dirty little secrets.
The utility has been bleeding red ink for five years, but the only solution offered was to raise rates. Why was cutting the budget to size not...
Read More Austin Ponders Increasing Electric Rates
by Robin Rather & Mike Sloan. Jan 12, 2012.
Powersmack recognizes the intense controversy around the proposed Austin Energy rate increase and has asked a diverse set of local contributors to comment on it. We have also linked to other bloggers and media outlet coverage for comprehensive perspective.
Here are...
Read More Austin Energy’s Questionable Rate Increase: Dead on Arrival?
By Bill Oakey and Robin Rather, Jan. 12, 2012.
What on earth possessed Austin Energy to believe it could magically talk the Council into a huge rate increase that for the first time in decades puts a lopsided rate burden on poor and middle class residential customers, small...
Read More Interview: Barbara Day, Austin Electric Utility Commission
Do you feel that Austin Energy needs a rate case at this time? Why or why not.
No, AE has failed to justify a rate increase. Also, the timing of this rate case is poor because beginning December 2010 AE no longer dispatches its own resources...
Read More Why Support Austin Energy’s Rate Proposal?
by Phillip Schmandt, Jan. 11, 2012.
Why support the EUC Majority’s recommendations regarding the Austin Energy rate case?
1. We Need to be Good Stewards of our City-Owned Utility. The citizens of Austin own their electric utility, which is the tenth largest publicly owned utility in America. ...
Read More Austin 2011: Less Fuel Cost, More Truthiness?
By Mike Sloan Dec. 26, 2010.
Austin Energy to Reduce Fuel Charge
Austin Energy is reducing the fuel charge on electric bills by 15 percent effective January 1, 2011. This change will reduce electric bills by about 6% for residential customers and about 9% for large industrial customers. The...
Read More Clean Energy IS Affordable Energy
Mike Sloan and Robin Rather, Dec. 16, 2010.
City Council received its first presentation from Austin Energy’s new leader Larry Weis last Thursday on the utility’s “Affordability Goal” and an update on its Generation and Climate Protection Plan. DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION. VIDEO LINK.
Thursday’s briefing provided a chilling...
Read More UPDATE: Green Power SmackDown
by Mike Sloan, Dec. 4, 2010.
In response to our post of Oct. 8, some have questioned whether San Antonio is doing more “green” than Austin if adjustment were made for the relative size of the utilities. The short answer is “yes” in categories of solar, wind and...
Read More Austinites for Action: More Transparency Needed
by Roger Borgelt, Co-Chair, Austinites for Action. Dec. 2, 2010.
DISCLAIMER: PowerSmack seeks to present a range of community voices, including those with which we do not fully agree. This guest post underscores a common concern on the lack of transparency at Austin Energy, yet:
While Austin...
Read More Austin Energy: The $134 Million Question
by Robin Rather & Mike Sloan OCT 26, 2010.
$134 Million is a lot of Smackeroos. But it’s also more than just money. It’s a question that strikes to the heart of systemic issues strangling Austin Energy.
• It’s about transparency.
• It’s about affordability.
• It’s about talking that's green but spending that's...
Read More 
